Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1887-11-04

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s The GREATEST work which car, be done by
our geY eiaiinent, or any governments in fact,
I aid Of matt onni forestry Is the proteetion OF
forests from Tires It is thought by some
sntlors that the destruction Of forests by
drea, even III America, is greater than tho
amount used in the production Of lumber Be
this as it may be, it is useful to know what
some European countries may practice in this
regard. "a Ii. :s "A " fl5 III
Thus, in France, the penal code provides
Tor the punishment Of persons who cause
forest fires, either Intentionally or through
cnrelessness, The forest law prohibits tho
lighting or carrying OF fire, either inside the
forests or within 200 yards Of their bound
aries. But the ordinary laws DO not prevent
propriesoGs from lighting fires in their own
forests, to the danger Of their neighbors'
property This is an important question in
France, where the bad practice is followed Of
Systematically lighting fires in the forest in
order to burn up che heather and other
shrubs which Interfere with the regeneration
Of the crop Of trees. In 1870 Il special law
was passed prohibiting the proprietors of
these districts from lighting fires in their
forests except at seasons fixed by the project,
also compelling then, to clear fire lines around
ali woods and forests which have not been
completely freed FROM all inilamnable shrubs.
In 1876 there were 200 Gves i'll the area
managed by the forest department. nearly all
Of them being the result of accident The
surface burned over measured 2.35e acres
and the damage was estimated at nearly
SO, 0G0 Tho proportion Of fires was greater.
in tho Broad leare;l than in the couiferous
forest. bus, on the othor hand the amount of
damage done per acre in rhc latter was three
t,rcs ms crc.t as in the former, tie resin in
the trees themselves aud in the dead needles
or tho ground rendering the fir and pine
forests excessively inflamIlahlc. Fires, as u
general rule, were Of more frequent occur
re:ico in the spring than ut any other season
OF the year. though the autumn fires were,
on recount OF the recently fallen leaves, by
far tho most destructive.
In Germany much destruction occurs from
forest fires. which ure usually the result of
carelcssuoSs. Since the c5is:iu,c forest reo,-
lutonS do not permit the liter that fails upon
the ground to be removed, it is but natural
that it will IN course OF time accumulate
enough to nccouir q great danger to the for
est when dry, III Which condition it burns like
tIh."r and Is most easily iSIIitei. A serious
fire occurred, destroying n fine forest, wlcl.
Wa set OIL fire by cigar s.ulnp carerSsly
thrown away on d forest road Districts
thus destroyed in Germany AFRO at once re-
planted, and the relative amount of forest
anil cultivated land constantly remains about
the same.
HOW GERMANY MANAGES
In Germany, among the measures for pro
venting forest fires are the following ree,nIa-
tons:
The places where charcoal may he nnde in
tho forests must 10 assigned by The forest
authorities. Tho coal pits must b. fifteen
p'E'Cs from tho ends Of the nearest tree
bonsls and for distance OF four PAGES from
the burning Iilo all comb'lstible mater iols
must be removed. A pace in this, as in every
case - .I'ro II doubt may be found to exist. is
to Ia regarded rs 90 feet. The charcoal
maker !, in duty bound to notify the forester.
Of forest overseer, of the time yvhul, he starts
his fires. After the fire is once started the
charcoal maker must hot leave his pit by day
or night; besides, he is in duty bur,l to have
a sufficient quantity Of water on hard to pre-
vent accident by fire.
Ia windy or stormy weather the charcoal
burner is i'll duty bound to erect something
to break and keep off the wind, and daring
tho prevalence Of such weather he must nc;
remove the cover from his pit nor draw out
coal Coul nllst not be tnlien from the bits
through tho forest before twetty-four hours
have elapsed after 1t has been drawn from
the pit.
Tho snmo rules must he Observed in pre-
pairing ashes rs prescribed for the making Of
charcoal.
" No fire must DO kindled in a forest, nor
within POO feet Of the same, nor near a turf
DIT lyina pear by, without especial rr'iy,iega
from the Forester, who, when sHc... permission
ia given, must see TINT oil r:.cessory measures
Of safety arc saEan
As exceprf!TE> 10 the rule laii down a,e the
fires for Shepherds, wood choppers quarry
men, otc., and these must be kinded ia places
us remote rs possible from danger to the
forests.
Also fires used for burning oub roots
stumps. etc, when the woodland is being
prepared for culture. III all cases must the
fires be ton PAGES from tho forest, and at
lenst four PAGES from large trees, and the
ground lying between the fire and the wood
and trees must DO dug or broken up
The kidding of Il running fire in the woods
is forbidden; only il special cases can it be
allowed by the forest authorities, with the
approval Of tho mayor
Shepherds, woo,lcLoppers, quarrymen, etc,
are in duty bound to extinguish the fires be
fore they quit the forests.
No place for preparing tar or preparing
lime dime kiln, will be allowed within fif-
teen feet Of the edge Of a forest or woods
There are special ordinances indicating
what shall be done in case of fires breaking
out in sts.--Boston Budget